Reply With Quoteanother view of the big cod
Working in environmental science (freshwater ecology) I'm fortunate to sometimes be able to combine work with pleasure - I've been engaged to do some baseline survey work on the Mary River in South East Qld as part of the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam assessment studies and was given the (most pleasurable) task of surveying for the presence of Mary River Cod populations within the upper River system using (under DPI permit) angling techniques (other forms of survey i.e. electrofishing are also being used) - while doing other work tasks I might add i.e. habitat mapping (it wasn't all beer and skittles!!) - we canoed about 8-10 km of River per day and encountered a range of fish species on lures including fork tailed catties, saratoga, bass and the beautiful Mary River Cod including several above 70cm and one almost a metre long (~95cm) see pic below - also saw shit loads of lung fish, Mary River Turtles and mega tonnes of mullet. While I can't prempt report findings I can say as a ecologist and conservation biologist that it certainly isn't the sort of place that you'd be happy to see drowned under a dam!!
Regards - Jim
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
another view of the big cod
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
and another
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
time machine country - steep sided valley reaches where the riparian forest hasn't been cleared
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
one of several bass aound the half metre mark that took some serious drag on a barra baitcaster outfit with 20lb braid (intended to get Mary River Cod boat side without stress)
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
and another
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
another cod of around 70 cm
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
a sad finding was that in some of the uppermost reaches (areas that will not be inundated by the proposed dam) extreemely low flow conditions being experienced at the end of 2006 in combination with aquatic weed infestations were leading to low dissolved oxygen conditions and fish kills that included most of the larger species - mullet, bass, catties and unfortunately also the enadangered Mary River Cod (see below)
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
and another (albeit much more decomposed!!)
'Stick to fishing instead of fighting' - JC
A great series of pics and story. Thanks for sharing.
I have been fortunate to have paddled a good stretch of the Mary, and I for one hope the dam doesn't go ahead. A beautiful area that should remain as it is.
Chris
Great read and pics Jim. Those cod sure are a beautiful fish!! Awsome bass.
Cheers Kim.
Always full of good up-to-date info. Great report mate. Shame about that aquatic weedSeems it is doing alot of damage. See how it matts the surface
Any barra??
Pete.
Awesome report Jim! ##
Great to see the Mary River Cod! Nice bass too. It's a shame about the fish kill and the weed #
Cheers,
Tim.
unreal work Jim,
i cant believe the size of those cod, geez they look like a bloody murray cod.
looks like a magical place mate
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